Real-time fluorescence based monitoring of nucleic acid amplification is the current state of the art for detecting genes of interest in a sample, for example, to identify presence of a pathogenic organism or a gene linked to certain disease states. Numerous molecular amplification technologies have been coupled to unique fluorescent probe designs which result in increased fluorescence emission as the amplification reaction(s) proceed. Traditionally, diagnostic instruments using these principles used PCR and required rapid thermal cycling, necessitating bulky desktop instruments drawing significant quantities of electrical power from the grid, which were generally confined to the laboratory setting and interfaced to desktop or laptop computers. Improvements in process technology, such as use of isothermal amplification approaches, have enabled the development of simple, low-power, handheld instruments suited for application in remote settings outside of the traditional lab.
There is, however, still a need for improved software and hardware for real time detection of nucleic acid molecules. The present disclosure fulfills these needs and others.